


Without Introduction

by Midnight12reader



Series: Becoming Q [2]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), Skyfall (2012) - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 11:10:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnight12reader/pseuds/Midnight12reader
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Q meets with M for the first time as Q.  Officially, at least. It could have been considered an interview, a test of his mettle, but, well...they both know he isn't going anywhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Without Introduction

### Without Introduction

"You truly are a marvel." M's sarcastic retort hung in the air as she took a seat behind her large desk. Q sat before her in one of two rather uncomfortable armchairs. "And a problem." She picked up a folder, tossing it in front of Q with a dull thump. The picture clipped to the outside was one of his better ones, he had to admit. Then again, he had made sure of it. First impressions were always important after all, even if they were on paper. 

A small plume of dust had shot into the air as the folder made contact with the desk surface. Dust motes hung in the air, making the small, temporary office seem cozier than it really was. It was outwardly unaffected by the blast, but small touches could be seen here or there. Books sitting just not-so in the large bookshelf behind him. The dust and plaster that hadn't been wiped away. Not to mention the small stain in the far corner that Q was hoping was something other than an unpleasant bodily fluid. His nose wrinkled slightly at the thought. Standards were slipping.

They stared at each other, taking each other's measure. Q sat calmly, waiting for M to get to the point. They both knew why he was here...and that he wasn't going anywhere. He may not have known M, but he knew enough of her to know that. He was a prized asset after all. The chip in his arm was proof enough of that. Not that he was supposed to know about it. If they were going to get rid of him, well, he knew it wouldn't ever be with a pink slip.

Q shifted minutely, before stilling with a confident smirk, leaning back and propping an elbow on the seat's armrest. He wondered if M was going to be much longer, all the drama was becoming more than a little tedious. And he didn't want to leave the minions on their own for too long. They might start getting _ideas._ He watched idly as M paused, rising to stand and gaze out the bullet proof windows.

"Your actions, if one were to interpret them in a certain light, could even be called treasonous." M stated, turning around and piercing Q with a hawk-like stare.

The words hung in the air between them for a moment before Q merely raised an eyebrow, face cloaked in boredom.

M snorted softly. "Why am I not surprised?" A flash of longing, almost wistfulness, seemed to pass over her face. 

"It was, after all, why you hired me, ma'am...If I'm not mistaken." Q spoke dryly.

"Well, it was a momentary lapse of judgment that can yet be corrected." M threw out as she reached out and picked up a discarded glass of scotch from the corner of her desk. She moved slowly across the room to a nearby couch, sinking into the couch cushions with a sigh and a muffled cough as the dust that had settled was disrupted. She waved a hand idly in the air, a faint twinkle of mischief in her eye. "If need be, of course." She relaxed slowly into the cushions, expression warming slightly.

Q huffed, conveying his amusement with a small upward tick of his lips. 

"How do things stand?" M finally demanded, getting down to business.

Q straightened slightly in his seat. "Not as bad as previously expected." He began.

"Not bad!" M protested sharply.

"You should have let me update things sooner." Q defended calmly, icily, "Instead of giving me the run around and sloppy seconds on the mainframe." He thought back over the last few days, of the friends, well...co-workers that were now gone, and of the craziness that had become his life. He was, or at least had been in the process of being, groomed for this position, he knew that. It was why he was able to step up now. That and his inherent skills. He just...it was too soon. _Q._ His hands shook slightly.

"If they had been in place..." Q finally ground out.

"But they weren't." M stated, voice final. "Now get over it." She said briskly, clearing her throat. "We have bigger things to deal with at the moment." She paused expectantly.

"Their hacker was good... very good." Q finally admitted, although begrudgingly. "They got into the system through a back door in one of the older systems." He paused...waiting. M waved a hand impatiently, her expression stating that his point has been well made and that he best move on. He smiled grimly, before continuing, "They didn't get much. Nothing beyond a Level 3 clearance, disregarding the attention paid to your office. It was mostly showmanship. A 'look what I can do' maneuver. Amateurs." He scoffed, before the look on M's face gave him pause. 

What...Oh. A bit not good then. The agents, right...well. "The list is out there, and obviously decoded. Nothing can be done about that from my end of things." He threw a pointed look at the agent outside. "Not really my area anymore."

"And Q Branch?" M asked dryly.

"Functional." Q responded, voice just as dry. "Nothing I can't deal with, of course."

"Of course." M echoed, smiling faintly. They sat for a moment in comfortable silence. 

"We'll be moving to another facility" M finally stated, "Pack your bags." Another facility? Which...no. Oh, no. That just wouldn't do. 

Q's forehead wrinkled in disdain. "You must be joking."

"I don't joke." M stated, raising and quietly draining the tumbler of scotch.

"It's a relic." Q pointed out, shuddering faintly at the thought of being cooped up there. "It would take more work to drag it into the 21st century then to simply upgrade the system here." He protested.

"It's been decided." M rose, setting the tumbler aside with a quiet click of glass on wood. Her expression told him arguing would be futile. Wonderful, he thought. Just wonderful. Ten to one they ended up in some rat infested shafted to the basement. He smoothed his face of all expression.

Q stood gracefully. "M." 

"Q." M moved to retake her seat behind her desk, deftly disengaging the security measure with a push of a button. Q walked towards the door, waiting as it swung open. "Be sure to reacquaint yourself with the Double O's." She reminded him absently, reaching to pick up her glasses and sliding them on, peering over them at his back. 

Q paused in the open doorway, taking a moment to look back. "Oh, I think I can manage." He smirked coldly before gliding out the door and letting it swing shut quietly behind him. He strolled down the hallway, taking out his tablet as he went. He chuckled quietly to himself. This was going to be fun...at least for him.


End file.
